Brussels, Feb 5 : The European Commission called for faster progress across the European Union (EU) to protect waters and better manage flood risks.

According to the latest report on the state of water in the EU, only 39.5 per cent of EU surface water bodies have good ecological status while only 26.8 per cent of waters are achieving good chemical status, Xinhua news agency reported.

"This is mainly due to widespread contamination by mercury and other toxic pollutants," said the Commission, adding that water scarcity and drought are also growing concerns across most of the EU waters.

Therefore, it recommended that states should increase compliance with EU water laws to adhere to pollution limits, improve wastewater discharge, and ensure sufficient funding to enable effective implementation of water management measures. They should also address persistent environmental challenges, such as chemical pollution, and promote water reuse, the Commission said.

Member states need to invest in flood prevention, which must be based on ecosystem restoration, nature-based solutions, and early warning systems, it added, citing several massive floods affecting many EU countries, including Slovenia, Spain, Germany, Austria, Poland, Romania, and France over the past two years.

The Commission also recommended that member states should enhance measures to protect marine biodiversity and reduce nutrient, chemical, and underwater noise pollution. They should share input and help design the future European Water Resilience Strategy, it said, adding that a consultation event on the matter will take place on March 6.

Though much needs to be done, the commission also noted significant progress over the past few years. According to the report, marine macro litter on the EU coastline went down by 29 per cent from 2020 to 2021 compared to the 2015-2016 period. Meanwhile, single-use plastic on EU coastlines has been reduced by 40 per cent, and fisheries-related items and plastic bags were down by 20 per cent.

/IANS